Branstad wants a governor

Jonathan Martin reports that Republican governors are only gradually starting to get engaged with the 2012 process and catches Terry Branstad telegraphing at least a mild preference in the GOP primary:

Story Continued Below

The governors have yet to rally around a candidate as they did for then-Gov. George W. Bush at this point in the 2000 GOP primary: Just three of the nation’s 29 Republican chief executives have delivered endorsements so far, despite the fact that five of their former gubernatorial colleagues are currently running for the nomination.

But they are sending strong signals about what they are looking for in a nominee — experience running a state — and it would preclude a handful of the current White House hopefuls, most notably the surging Rep. Michele Bachmann.

“The history of our country shows governors have been the most successful presidents,” said Branstad ...

In interviews about the presidential campaign, Branstad and another important Republican governor, Virginia’s Bob McDonnell, were careful to praise the congresswoman in the course of making the case for why the party should nominate a current or former governor.

“She’s an exciting candidate, she brings a lot of enthusiasm and I think she helps to rally the Republican base and I certainly have a lot of respect for her,” said Branstad. “But she doesn’t have the executive experience that governors have.”